HAWANA honours media practitioners, empowers journalism profession
KUALA LUMPUR: The National Journalists' Day (HAWANA) 2025 is not just a platform to celebrate the role and contribution of media practitioners in the country's development, but also a stage to uphold the integrity and credibility of the journalism profession.
Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) Chief Executive Officer Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin said the HAWANA celebration also allowed media practitioners to strengthen ties and exchange opinions on current issues.
'This year, although media personnel will be busy covering and reporting various important events, such as the recent 46th ASEAN Summit, we have not forgotten the HAWANA celebration, which has been gazetted for May 29, in our own way,' she said at the HAWANA 2025-Bernama Strategic Partners' Appreciation Ceremony and Official Launch of BERNAMA Motorhome at Wisma Bernama here
The event was officiated by Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil.
Also present were Communications Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa; Bernama Editor-in-Chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj, who is also the director of the HAWANA 2025 Project; as well as members of Bernama's top management.
Nur-ul Afida said Bernama has been tasked with being the implementing agency for the HAWANA celebration by the Communications Ministry since it was introduced in 2018 in Kuala Lumpur.
She said that to ensure the celebration is inclusive and covers all states, HAWANA was held in Melaka in 2022, Perak in 2023 and Kuching, Sarawak last year.
'HAWANA is back in Kuala Lumpur to celebrate Malaysia's ASEAN Chairmanship this year,' she said.
At the event, Nur-ul Afida also expressed her appreciation to its 79 strategic partners, comprising ministries, departments, agencies and companies who are committed to making the HAWANA 2025 highlight and side programmes a success.
'Again, I humbly thank all our strategic partners for your continued support, thus recognising the contributions of media practitioners in the field of journalism in Malaysia,' she said.
Nur-ul Afida said HAWANA 2025 would be livelier and more beneficial with the inclusion of various events and activities from May until September, starting with the HAWANA-DBP 2025 Pantun Festival, which saw eight teams from media agencies involved in stiff competition, at Wisma Bernama last Saturday.
Other main programmes include a media forum jointly organised with the Malaysian Press Institute (MPI), a HAWANA carnival and exhibition at the Sunway Putra Mall, a big-scale sports carnival and a HAWANA tour series to leading polytechnics.
Themed 'Journalism in the New Era: Embracing AI, Safeguarding Ethics', the HAWANA 2025 celebration will be held at the KL World Trade Centre from June 13 to 15, with the highlight celebration on June 14 being officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Over 1,000 media practitioners, representatives of local journalist associations and media delegates from ASEAN member states are expected to attend, bringing together the professional media fraternity and industry experts to exchange ideas and forge strategic partnerships.
Nur-ul Afida also said that the BERNAMA Motorhome, launched today by Fahmi, is a vehicle equipped with mobile studio facilities featuring the latest technology.
She added that this is an initiative by Bernama, which celebrated its 58th anniversary last month, to remain relevant in the media industry.
'We, at Bernama, are committed to continuing to strive to implement our goals as the country's official news agency and continue to excel as a trusted news source,' she said.
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